Dive Coaster

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Dive Coaster
Griffon in Busch Gardens

Griffon in Busch Gardens

Data
status In production
First delivery 1998
Number of deliveries 13 (as of 6.1.2019)
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
Car type With or without a bottom;
Driving by rail
Seats per row 6-10
Type of ironing Shoulder strap

A Dive Coaster (originally known as Diving Machine ) is a roller coaster type from the manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard , which is defined by at least one almost vertical descent and particularly wide wagons. In contrast to other roller coasters, the train with this type comes after the lift hill and a short, flat piece of rail into a holding brake, which holds the train at an incline of about 45 ° directly above the following descent - usually 90 ° - for a few seconds and then releases again.

Development began between 1994 and 1995. The first roller coaster of this type is the Oblivion in the British theme park Alton Towers , which opened on March 14, 1998. Characteristic are the very wide but short trains and the resulting very wide and strong rails. There are trains with and without floors. 13 roller coasters of this type had opened by the beginning of 2019. One is currently being built.

The Chinese roller coaster manufacturer Golden Horse is producing a comparable roller coaster model under the name CZC-24A .

history

SheiKra: The splashdown can be seen in the foreground, the lift hill and the first descent in the background
A train in the holding brake of the first departure from Oblivion
Griffon: A train in the exit of the first Immelmann
SheiKra was the first track with a second drop, ...
... 90 ° descent ...
... and splashdown
Griffon also has a splashdown

According to Walter Bolliger, the development of the Dive Coaster began in 1994 and 1995. On March 14, 1998, the world's first Dive Coaster, Oblivion, opened in Alton Towers. Although Oblivion is referred to as a Dive Coaster, the run only has one 88.8 ° steep descent. Two years later, the second Dive Coaster Diving Machine G5 was opened in Janfusun Fancyworld , the maximum vertical inclination of which is 87.5 °. Both railways have trains with a floor and only two rows.

In 2005 SheiKra was opened with two new elements for a dive coaster . During the splashdown , the train dips into the water basin with the baffles attached to the rear part, thereby throwing water up. Another new element was the Immelmann , in which the car first runs a half loop , followed by a half roll , so that the train after this element travels in the opposite direction. The Immelmann was also the first inversion of a dive coaster. Almost all dive coasters built after SheiKra had at least one splashdown and one immelmann. An exception is Baron 1898 , where the train plunges into a fog-filled tunnel after the first departure . SheiKra was also the first dive coaster to have a true 90 ° descent and trains with three rows of seats. When Sheikra opened, it was the largest, fastest and longest dive coaster and the first in North America.

The fourth Dive Coaster was completed in 2007 in the sister park Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Griffon . This was the first train to have ten seats in a single row and the first to have bottomless trains. In addition, Griffon was the first to have two inversions with two Immelmann elements. Due to the successful introduction of bottomless trains, SheiKra, who previously had bottomless trains, was converted and equipped with new trains. Since then, every Dive Coaster built after SheiKra has bottomless trains.

On January 21, 2008, Dive Coaster opened in Chimelong Paradise, the longest Dive Coaster and the first in China. With Diving Coaster in Happy Valley, an extensive copy of SheiKra was also built in China on August 16, 2009.

The first facility in Germany was opened on April 16, 2011 in the Heide Park Resort in Soltau, the so -called Krake . For the first time ever, Deutsche Bahn's wagons have only six seats in a row. In addition to an Immelmann, the train also has the well-known watering, as found at SheiKra or Griffon . It is the first system in Europe to show these elements.

technology

layout

The layout of SheiKra and Diving Coaster
The layout of octopus
A model of the Bolliger & Mabillard box rail
SheiKra: The view of the empty station with drive wheels and hydraulic platforms folded away
SheiKra test seat

The layout of the individual dive coaster can differ from one another. However, the basic principle is always the same. So that the trains gain energy , a chain lift takes them to their starting height. With the exception of the octopus in Heide-Park at 41 meters, this is between 50 and 65 meters. The end of the chain lift is usually followed by a level section in the form of a curve. The train travels slowly through this section so that it can be stopped by the brake when it comes into contact with the holding brake. The holding brake, which is not a brake in the classic sense, because it consists of a chain into which the train hooks, slowly guides the train from an upright position over the drop to a position that is inclined forward by approx. 45 ° depending on the row of seats and stops the train there for a few seconds. The train stops on its way to the vertical slope and lets the passengers look into the abyss. The only dive coaster so far that has no curve after the chain lift is Baron 1898 and Western Regions Heaven (西域 飞天). This supports the design of the drop as a winding tower for this Bahn Baron 1898. Another special feature of this implementation is that the chain of the lift hill is also used as a holding brake.

If the holding brake is released again, the characteristic, mostly vertical descent follows. All Dive Coaster, with the exception of the first two tracks Oblivion and Diving Machine G5 as well as Krake and Baron 1898, each with an 87 ° incline, have a vertical descent. With the first two tracks, the experience of this first descent is further enhanced by the fact that it ends in a tunnel. A similar principle was also used with Krake , as the departure there is through a specially built ship with the Krake piercing it.

The two oldest railways only focus on this one descent, so that the train immediately hits the final brake aside from a curve. For the SheiKra railway, which opened in 2005, there was a rethink. For the first time, it contained an inversion, as well as a second drop and a special splashdown , in which the car drives through a pool of water and throws water up. This concept was so successful that all Dive Coaster built after SheiKra had at least one Immelmann and Splashdown. The second drop is not as high as the first due to friction losses, but it is still extremely inclined, but not vertical. On this second descent, there is no holding brake on any of the lanes.

rail

The Dive Coaster rail type is a modified form of the Bolliger - & - Mabillard standard boxing rail. It consists of a rectangular steel beam. From it struts lead to the guide tubes, which are slightly offset outwards and upwards, which support and guide the cars. The Dive Coaster rail is considerably wider and stronger than the standard rail so that it can withstand the greater punctual load caused by the wider trains. The exception is octopus . Since the trains only have six seats in a row there, this problem does not exist, the narrower standard rails could be used.

Trains

Close-ups of the trains
SheiKra was the first train with three rows of seats
Griffon, on the other hand, was the first with ten seats in a row
The first row of Diving Coaster in the station with extended hydraulic platforms
The two-row train with floor from Diving Machine G5
Krake was the first train with only six seats in a row
Oblivion in Alton Towers

The trains differ depending on the delivery. The first delivery Oblivion and the second Diving Machine G5 have trains with only two rows of eight seats and a floor. All other lanes have three rows. There only the number of seats per row differs. In Griffon the wagons are widest with ten seats in a row, in Krake they are narrowest with six. In addition, with the exception of the first two trains, all courses have no solid ground under their feet.

All trains use the principle of stadium seating . This means that the rear rows of seats are about 30 centimeters higher than the front rows in order to allow the best possible view of the route from these rows. The trains have nylon - polyurethane wheels on each individual car . There is also a roll-back protection under the trains , which is intended to prevent the train from rolling back in the event of a chain breakage in the chain lift, and metal strips on the side as a counterpart to the brakes. All Dive Coaster have block brakes , newer systems also have eddy current brakes . In addition, there is a device for the holding brake and baffles on the rear part for the splashdown fountains.

Seats

The seats of the Dive Coaster are the standard seats from Bolliger & Mabillard. They consist of a steel structure that is screwed onto the car and tilted slightly backwards. The seat shell has the same angle, so the passengers sit in a slight hollow. Wings are attached to the right and left of the backrest to stabilize the passengers laterally. At the level of the head, the shoulder strap is attached to the clad back part of the backrest. When open, the bar is folded up 90 ° so that the passengers can sit in the seat from the front. If the bar is closed, its U-shape prevents the passengers from falling out of the vehicle, as it normally closes with a horn integrated in the seat shell, which the passenger has between the legs when sitting. For safety reasons, in addition to the brackets that function via pistons and notches, there is also a belt, similar to that of an airplane, which is firmly attached to the seat shell and can be pressed into a holder on the folded bracket. If the first safety device fails, the tension on the belt ensures that the bar cannot open. With Valravn, the first dive coaster with the new vest brackets from B&M was opened in 2016. You have a lap bar with a flexible vest coming from above.

station

Because the newer trains do not have a floor, a floor must be made available in the station for each train in order to be able to get on and off. That is why hydraulic platforms were installed in each dive coaster station, which are extended before the passengers change. These platforms, specially tailored to the train, form this floor together with parts of the train itself, such as the axles. Since there is no natural limit to the front in the first row of the train, a fence element is also extended. When the train is ready to depart, all platforms and fences are folded to the side so that they do not interfere with the train on departure. The visitors therefore have no ground under their feet while driving. Since the platforms are permanently installed, a train has to assume the same position every time it approaches. This takes place through the interaction of the proximity switches built into the rail and drive wheels.

In order to increase the capacity, some systems have two of these installations one behind the other so that two trains can always be processed at the same time.

Extraditions

Bolliger & Mabillard had opened 13 Dive Coasters by the beginning of 2019. The table shows a list of the technical data of the railways, sorted by default according to the opening date.

Surname park country opening Length
in m		 Departure
in m		 Slope
in °		 Speed
in km / h
Oblivion Alton Towers EnglandEngland England 14 Mar 1998 0372.5 54.9 87 109.4
Diving Machine G5 Janfusun Fancyworld TaiwanRepublic of China (Taiwan) Taiwan 29 Mar 2000 0381 54.6 87.5 110
SheiKra Busch Gardens United StatesUnited States United States May 21, 2005 971.7 61 90 112.7
griffon Busch Gardens United StatesUnited States United States May 18, 2007 0974.3 62.5 90 114.3
Dive Coaster Chimelong Paradise China People's RepublicPeople's Republic of China People's Republic of China Jan. 21, 2008 0981 60 90 112
Diving coaster Happy Valley China People's RepublicPeople's Republic of China People's Republic of China Aug 16, 2009 0969 65 90 112
octopus Heidepark GermanyGermany Germany April 16, 2011 0476 41 87 103
Oblivion - The Black Hole Gardaland ItalyItaly Italy 28 Mar 2015 0566 42.5 87 100
Baron 1898 Efteling NetherlandsNetherlands Netherlands 0July 1, 2015 0501 37.5 87 090
Valravn Cedar Point United StatesUnited States United States 0May 7, 2016 1040.9 65.2 90 120.7
Flying over the Western Region Happy Valley Chengdu China People's RepublicPeople's Republic of China People's Republic of China Feb 10, 2018
Draken Gyeongju World Korea SouthSouth Korea South Korea 01st May 2018 90
Valkyria Liseberg SwedenSweden Sweden 10 Aug 2018 0700 50 105
Yukon Striker Canada's Wonderland CanadaCanada Canada 03rd May 2019 1105 75 90 130

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Dive Coaster - Bolliger & Mabillard (Monthey, Valais, Switzerland) . RCDB entry, accessed on January 6, 2019
  2. ↑ a b c d List of Dive Coaster . Entry by the RCDB, accessed on January 6, 2019; compare the individual articles of the linked courses
  3. ↑ CZC-24A
  4. ↑ IAAPA 2011 Trade Show Part 4 Theme Park Review Fishpipe Water Ride B&M Zamperla ( English ) In: Theme Park Review . YouTube. November 16, 2012. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  5. ↑ a b c d Oblivion - Alton Towers (Alton, Staffordshire, England, UK) . RCDB entry, accessed on September 16, 2013
  6. ↑ a b c d Diving Machine G5 - Janfusun Fancyworld (Koo-Kung Hsiang, Yunelin, Taiwan) . RCDB entry, accessed on September 16, 2013
  7. ↑ a b element = splashdown . RCDB article, accessed June 29, 2013
  8. ↑ Jay Cridlin: Built to thrill. In: Tampa Bay Times. May 21, 2005, accessed February 1, 2013 .
  9. ↑ Element = Immelmann . RCDB article, accessed June 29, 2013
  10. ↑ a b c SheiKra - Busch Gardens Tampa (Tampa, Florida, USA) . RCDB entry, accessed on September 16, 2013
  11. ↑ List of roller coasters from Bolliger & Mabillard sorted according to speed . RCDB article, accessed June 29, 2013
  12. ↑ List of roller coasters from Bolliger & Mabillard sorted by height . RCDB article, accessed June 29, 2013
  13. ↑ List of roller coasters from Bolliger & Mabillard sorted by height . RCDB article, accessed June 29, 2013
  14. ^ A b c Griffon - Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Williamsburg, Virginia, USA) . RCDB entry, accessed on September 16, 2013
  15. ↑ a b Dive Coaster - Chimelong Paradise (Panyu, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China) . RCDB entry, accessed on September 16, 2013
  16. ↑ a b Diving Coaster - Happy Valley (Songjiang, Shanghai, China) . RCDB entry, accessed on September 16, 2013
  17. ↑ a b c Krake - Heide Park Resort (Soltau, Lower Saxony, Germany) . RCDB entry, accessed on September 16, 2013
  18. ↑ Krake Roller Coaster POV B&M Dive Machine Heide Park Germany . themeparkreviewTPR (YouTube). November 17, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  19. ↑ Baron 1898 in 360 ° - Efteling Onride . Efteling (YouTube). October 15, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  20. ^ SheiKra - Busch Gardens Tampa (Tampa, Florida, USA) - cross section of the rail . RCDB photo of Josh Caudill, accessed September 15, 2013
  21. ↑ Scott & Carol Present: Getting On Track With B&M ( English ) NewsPlusNotes. December 11, 2008. Archived from the original on February 26, 2013. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved October 8, 2012. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / newsplusnotes.blogspot.ca
  22. ^ Krake - Heide Park Resort (Soltau, Lower Saxony, Germany) - illustration of the rail . Image from RCDB, Heide Park Resort, October 1, 2011, accessed on September 15, 2013
  23. ↑ Increase in the sitting position . RCDB image, accessed June 29, 2013
  24. ^ SheiKra at Busch Gardens. Tampa Bay Online, archived from the original on March 7, 2009 ; accessed on March 17, 2013 (English).
  25. ↑ Build It Bigger - Behind the Scenes of Sheikra (English). Video excerpt from the documentation, Discovery Channel, accessed July 3, 2013
  26. ↑ Guide plates of the train . RCDB image, accessed June 29, 2013
  27. ↑ SheiKra seat.jpg . Image from Wikimedia Commons, accessed September 16, 2013
  28. ^ Griffon (HD) . SeanFlaharty. August 16, 2009. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  29. ↑ KRAKE ( Memento of the original from May 2, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Official website of the railway, Heide Park Resort, 2013, accessed on September 21, 2013  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.heide-park.de
  30. ^ Oblivion - The Black Hole - Gardaland (Castelnuovo del Garda, Veneto, Italy) . RCDB entry, accessed on July 22, 2015
  31. ^ Oblivion - The Black Hole - Official Site . Technical data on the official website of the railway, accessed on July 23, 2015
  32. ^ Baron 1898 - Efteling (Kaatsheuvel, North Brabant, Netherlands) . RCDB entry, accessed on July 22, 2015
  33. ↑ Valraven - Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio, USA)  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Official website of the railway, accessed on September 9, 2015@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / valravn.cedarpoint.com  
  34. ↑ RCDB. Retrieved January 12, 2019 .
  35. ↑ RCDB. Retrieved January 6, 2019 .
  36. ↑ RCDB. Retrieved January 6, 2019 .
  37. ↑ New items double 2017/18 for Liseberg: Dive coaster and giant pendulum are coming. In: Parkerlebnis - Freizeitpark-Magazin. Retrieved September 26, 2016 .
  38. ↑ RCDB. Retrieved January 6, 2019 .
  39. ↑ operator site. Retrieved January 6, 2019 .
This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on November 7, 2013 .